Finger guard



March 9, 1965 A. MICALE 3,172,381

FINGER GUARD Filed Oct. 29, 1963 Fla. 5 He. 6

INVENTOR ANGELO M/CALE ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,172,381 FINGER GUARD Angelo Micale, Nassau St., North Brunswick, NJ. Filed Oct. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 319,799 2 Claims. (Cl. 112-261) This invention relates to a finger guard for sewing machines.

Present finger guards are so constructed that they are objectionable for one reason or another. For example, they may obscure the view for threading the needle, or are not sufliciently adjustable to suit different operators and for different sewing conditions and materials, or they are such as to prevent a clear View of the needle as it sews, which is essential, or they are in the way of the needle bar.

The present finger guard, by its simplicity and adjustability, avoids the mentioned objections.

The drawings illustrate the invention, and in these:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the guard as attached to a foot and a foot bar;

FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of a connector by which the finger guard proper may be adjustably attached;

FIG. 4 is a side view of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of the finger guard proper;

FIG. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged end view of a set screw by which the guard proper is attached to the connector of FIGS. 3 and 4; and

FIG. 8 is a section on line 88 of FIG. 7.

Referring to the drawings for a detailed description, the numeral 10 indicates a foot bar of a sewing machine, to which bar a foot 12 is fastened by a thumbscrew 14. The finger guard 16 is a piece of stout, round wire bent into a U, and positioned inverted and more or less upright. The space between the sides of the U is narrow enough so that an operators finger cannot pass through the guard.

The inverted U-shaped guard 16 is held by an angular connector 18, which is flat except that at its forward end there is a lateral boss 20 in which there is a hole ice 21 therethrough, and in which hole one side of the inverted U is slidably disposed to provide a range of height adjustment. The U-shaped guard 16 is held at a desired height in the connector by a set screw 23. This screw is in a recess 25 in the connector, the recess opening from that side of the connector opposite the boss 20, and it extends to the hole 21, so that the set screw bears against that side of the U which is disposed in hole 21.

The angular connector 18 extends rearwardly from, and at right angles to, the U-shaped guard 16, and the latter is to one side of the connector. The connector is angular, and its rear part extends upwardly from the forward part, and has an elongate slot 27 which is open at its free end so that the connector may be readily slipped around the tightening thumb screw 14, between the latters bearing portion 14A and the shank of the foot. The connector is thereby adjustable both angularly and up and down, so that the U-shaped guard 16 is likewise adjust- I able, the angular adjustment resulting in a forwardbackward adjustment of the U.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination of a sewing machine foot bar, a foot attached to the foot bar, a finger guard in the form of an inverted U of stout wire, in a more or less upright position, an angular connector having a forward end and extending rearwardly from, and substantially at a right angle to, the plane of the guard proper, and to one side of the same, means adjustably connecting the connector to the foot bar for both up and down and angular motion, and means securing the guard over the foot with one side thereof secured to the forward end of the connector.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said connector forward end is, in most operative positions, positioned immediately above the forwardmost end of said foot.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,028,524 1/36 Saull 1l226l 2,317,185 4/43 Dunlap et al. 1l2261 2,697,409 12/54 Feit 112-261 RUSSELL C. MADER, Primary Examiner.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Examiner. 

1. THE COMBINATION OF A SEWING MACHING FOOT BAR, A FOOT ATTACHED TO THE FOOT BAR, A FINGER GUARD IN THE FORM OF AN INVERTED U OF STOUT WIRE, IN A MORE OR LESS UPRIGHT POSITION, AN ANGULAR CONNECTOR HAVING A FORWARD END AND EXTENDING REARWARDLY FROM, AND SUBSTANTIALLY AT A RIGHT ANGLE TO, THE PLANE OF THE GUARD PROPER, AND TO ONE SIDE 